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Chris Wilder's Sheffield United have made headlines around the world after their fantastic start to life back in the Premier League.

Their nine-game unbeaten run away from home at the start of the season was a Premier League record for newly promoted clubs, but making records is something Sheffield United has a history of.

Here are 17 fascinating facts that make The Blades famous around the world, how many did you know?

1. Who ate all the pies?

It’s not sang as much anymore due to the incredible fitness and physique of the players but before the introduction of strict diets and sports science into the game, one of the most famous and common chants sung by supporters up and down the country was ‘who ate all the pies?.

In one of many firsts for the club, it was the Blades fans who invented that song, first sung in 1894 aimed at their own goalkeeper, the legend that was William ‘Fatty’ Foulke.

2. Champions of Great Britain… you’ll never sing that!

In 1898, it was decided that the champions of the English League would play the champions of the Scottish League to decide which one was best. United played Celtic for the Championship of Great Britain and won.

It wasn’t contested again, so technically speaking Blades fans, you’re the champions of Great Britain.

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3. Juan Sebastian Veron grew up wanting to play for Sheffield United

Did you know that former Manchester United midfielder and Argentine international Juan Sebastian Veron grew up a Sheffield United fan with dreams of playing for the Blades.

His uncle was none other than Pedro Verde, who played for the club between 1978 and 1981.

A football-mad Veron was six at the time and idolised his uncle. He had pictures of United on his bedroom wall in his home in La Plata, the capital city of Buenos Aires Province, as well as Blades shirts and scarves.

Juan Sebastian Veron

4. You’re welcome, England.

We are still the only English league side to field a starting XI made up of full England internationals.

In 1904, United’s starting X1, from keeper to striker, had an England international in every position, highlighting the power that United had as a football club in the early 20th century.

It is difficult to imagine over a century later but the team of Foulke, Needham, Thickett, Boyle, Hedley et al were huge names in English football at the time. It has never been achieved since.

5. World record transfer

Who would have thought that Sheffield United once signed a player for a world record fee?

There is some dispute over whether the signing of George Utley from Barnsley for £4k in 1914 was actually a British record and not a world record, however, officials at Bramall Lane believe it was the latter.

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6. Back to square one

United’s match with Arsenal on January 22, 1927, was the first game to be featured in a live radio broadcast.

The BBC gave live commentary of the match and the Radio Times featured a map of the pitch with numbers so listeners could work out where the ball was. The goalkeeper’s area was called square one and this was the first use of the phrase ‘Back to Square One’.

7. All Blades aren’t we?

United have had interests in a number of clubs and countries over the years but their influence on the League of Ireland can still be seen to this day.

Derry City FC play in red and white stripes thanks to former Blades star Billy Gillespie.

Derry originally wore the claret and blue colours of Aston Villa but Gillespie, who won 25 caps for Ireland and captained the Blades to their 1925 FA Cup win, was held in such high regard in his home country that the club agreed to change the kit’s colours to United’s when he became player-manager of Derry in 1932.

8. Famous fans

Every club has its fair share of famous fans and the Blades are no different. How many from the list below did you know about?

9. Movies

Sheffield United has featured in movies that proved a huge hit around the world.

From the most famous When Saturday Comes, starring local-born fan and Hollywood actor Sean Bean, and The Full Monty, which saw lead character Gaz often wearing a United shirt to lesser-known references such as National Treasure in 2004 starring Bean and Nicolas Cage.

Here, while Bean’s character is writing a letter, in the top corner of the paper is a doodle of the United badge.

The Blades even feature in Batman Begins when a child can be seen wearing a United shirt from the 1990s in one of the scenes. Brian Blessed’s character in the 1970s BBC drama The Survivors also wears a Sheffield United scarf throughout.

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10. Howzat for a stat?

Bramall Lane is one of only two stadiums, along with The Oval, to have staged Ashes Test cricket and an FA Cup final.

England and Australia met in Sheffield for the Third Test of the 1902 Ashes in which the Aussies won comfortably. Harry Tuffnell’s goal in the 1912 FA Cup final replay won the cup for Barnsley as they beat West Brom 1-0 in front of 38,000 fans.

11. First winners of the Charity Shield

The competition has taken many forms over the years with its most recent seeing the Premier League winners face the FA Cup winners in a traditional season curtain raiser at Wembley.

However, it was first contested as the Sheriff of London Charity Shield in 1898 between the best professional team at that time, Sheffield United, and the top amateur outfit, which was public schoolboys’ side Corinthians from London.

The game ended in a draw but United did not want a replay and with Corinthians being an amateur side, they awarded the trophy to United.

12. First professional England captain

England’s first ever professional captain was none other than Sheffield United’s Ernest Needham. ‘Nudger’, as he was known, was a very intelligent man and was the first footballer to write a book.

Association Football by Ernest Needham changes hands for a lot of money these days if you are lucky enough to find a copy.

He was also a ground-breaking player in terms of culture and class as he was the first player to break down the barrier between amateur and professionals, who did not dine together.

It was frowned upon but Needham changed all that and all players would eventually eat together.

13. When Deano used his head to make history

One of the more well-known facts is that of legendary striker Brian Deane, who scored 94 goals and made 224 appearances for United during three spells at the club as he wrote his name into Bramall Lane folk law.

However, it was his goal in the fifth minute of their opening match of the 1992-93 season on August 15 against Manchester United that he is most famous for.

It was the first game of the newly formed Premier League and, having just signed a new two-year contract, he marked it by making history.

His header past Peter Schmeichel following Carl Bradshaw’s long throw was the first goal scored in the Premier League, securing Deane and Sheffield United’s place in Premier League history forever.

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14. Oldest professional ground in the world

One that all proud Sheffield United fans will know but Bramall Lane is the oldest professional football ground in the world still being used.

It began life as a cricket ground in 1855 before the creation of Sheffield United football club in 1889.

However, already open to the idea of more sports being used at the ground, it hosted its first football match in 1862 between Hallam FC and the world’s oldest club, Sheffield FC.

15. First game to be played under floodlights

Sheffield United is famous for a host of different reasons but the number of ‘firsts’ associated with the club is staggering. Did you know Bramall Lane was the first ground to play a match under floodlights.

An experimental game between two teams from local league was played under lights on October 14, 1878. A 20,000-strong crowd turned up to watch and the lights were powered by two generators.

16. Blades said no to Maradona

One of those what could have been moments but Sheffield United went to Argentina on a scouting mission in the early eighties and had the chance to sign a 16-year-old Diego Maradona.

However, complications with the deal saw the club pull out and instead, they returned back to England with deals secured for Alex Sabella and Pedro Verde.

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17. There’s only one United

You may have heard the chants in the recent games against Manchester United and Newcastle United about the Blades being ‘the original United’. This is true, they were in fact the first club in the country to have United in its name.

With so many clubs and sports at Bramall Lane back in the day, the sporting committee at Bramall Lane wanting to bring everyone under one umbrella, hence the formation of Sheffield United.

With thanks to John Garrett, of Sheffield United's Legends Of The Lane. To find out more about the Legends Of The Lane Tours visit www.sufc.co.uk